December 2022 Happenings

We got lots of time with Lynch's this December!  It started off with Christmas on Main in early December.  Then winter break started 2 days early because of a winter storm so we slumbered in at the their house for 2 days, watching movies, playing board and card games, and just hanging out.  Finally we had them over for supper and played our annual BINGO with ALL the kids, even the bigs:)

We celebrated Christmas with Mom on Christmas Eve.  All the kids were able to make it.  Mom made beef and noodles, lots of sides and way too many desserts.  We played BINGO for a while after opening presents.

 We were able to make it to Bondurant on Christmas morning to see the Watson's, Andrea, Karen and Bryan.  It was good to catch up with everyone, so much had happened since we last saw each other.  
Amazing meal with ham and lots of sides and desserts.  

November 2022 Happenings

 

We finally got to travel again!  Our trip to Puerto Rico to celebrate Carter's high school graduation was so good.  The best part was the consistent warm weather, sun, and cool breeze everyday! Matthew got us an awesome Airbnb with a pool int eh backyard that we used almost daily.  Travel time in the sky was only about 7 hours.  We went to Old San Juan, El Yunque Forest, and a couple beaches (our favorite being Playa de Nuevo).  Would recommend traveling here to everyone, what an amazing part of the United States and so much to learn about how others live.

We celebrated Tanya's 40th birthday by going out to eat at Sweet Caroline's and then shopping Ames Downtown.  It was great seeing so many girl friends!  The downtown has changed SO much!  It reminded me of Galena with so many different little stores with fun things to buy.  

October 2022 Happenings

Carter was so excited to see his good friend Nolan, back from the military for the first time since he left for basic.  They spent as much time together as they could for the week before he left again.  I'm so thankful for the friendship these boys have.

The whole family got together to celebrate Mom's 70th birthday at Hickory Park Restaurant.  Afterwards, Mom and I  went to see the musical "Anastasia" at CY Stephens.   It was part of our season and package and was SO good!  I'd never watched the movie before and learned so much about Russian history.

Lanie and I went to ISU Family weekend and got a tour of campus from Carter.  We stopped at the creamery to enjoy some yummy ice cream.  

Lanie and Taylyn bridged for the last time from Seniors to Ambassadors.  We had the ceremony at Harrington park shelter and invited some close friends and family for snacks.   We are very blessed to have these great people in our lives.

We were going to go to the cabin, but decided to just have a staycation day instead with no kids.  It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon for disc golfing down in Des Moines, then to brewery celebration with food trucks and live music.  Then we headed back to Lynch's for games and relaxing the rest of the day.

Fiddler on the roof was the first of our 2022 - 2023 Broadway shows package at the Civic Center.  This year we are trying Saturday afternoon matinees at 2pm.  I'd seen Fiddler on the Roof quite a few times before and was very glad when Mike and Shanna said they liked it.  We went to Court Avenue afterwards for supper and met up with Mindy and Scott.  It was Halloween weekend, so it was fun to watch the people in costumes:)
 

September 2022 Happenings

 

It has been so much fun getting to be involved with Shanna's puppies.  I had no idea just how small and adorable they are.  Also how they snuggle together so much.  Now, I hope they all get adopted and loved for a lifetime.

We had so much fun at Amana Colonies Oktoberfest the last weekend in September.  Matthew and I took Friday off so we took off on Thursday after work.  Lanie stayed with Grandma and Carter helped too.  Friday we went disc golfing, relaxed and then went into town for wine tastings, lunch and shopping.  By late afternoon the rest of the crew began to arrive.  The rest of the night was spent at the Festhaul area listening to German music, drinking, laughing, and enjoying the people.  Saturday we came into town again for the parade and to shop, drink and taste some more.  We went back to the camp site to relax for the afternoon and then headed back in town for the rest of the night.  Millstream Brewing had great food trucks and drinks.  Dueling Pianos was performing down the street so we went there to dance.  Such a great time with great friends!

We attended our one Iowa Cubs game for the year.  Weather and seats were perfect.  Great way to spend a fall Sunday afternoon.

Lanie went to the Homecoming dance this fall.  She let me mess with her hair and it stayed pretty well.  She got lots of hugs from family and friends at the dance and seemed happy when she got home.  Hopefully next time she'll stay longer than 1 hour:)

August 2022 Happenings

 

We had another amazing time at Hinterland in St. Charles, Iowa.  Tibodeaus brought their camper and Lynchs and Jeremy stayed in ours.  It was WAY hot, above 100 degrees feels like almost every day.  We ha to plan times to come back to the camper to eat, drink and get cool in order to survive the whole day.  SO many great performances but some of my favorite were definitely The Aces, Glass Animals, Lake Street Dive, Jenny Lewis and MUNA.  We can't wait for next year!

 We moved Carter into his dorm in Friley Hall in mid-August.  He was part of the move in crew and got to move in a few days early.  We are so excited for this next adventure for him.

After a last minute cancellation, Lanie and I got to go with Matthew and Carter to the professional disc golf tournament at Pickard Park in Indianola.  It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would.  I'd really like to go another time when I don't have a million other jobs to get done, and stay till the lead card comes in.  We got to see Kevin Jones, Paul MacBeth, James Conrad, Simon Lozotte and Ricky Wysocki.

1st day of school for Lanie and I.  My 22nd year teaching and Lanie's Junior year.

Catie Neuman, her husband, and I ran the Donut 5K for Gigi's Playhouse.  Then we all walked the 1 mile Fun Walk.  It was really good to be there and support her family.

Went out to eat with Lynchs and then to the Civic Center to see the play, To Kill a Mockingbird.  

July 2022 Happenings

We were blessed to be able to spend a weekend with the Lynch's and families at the cabin at Roberd's Lake.  In the morning we went disc golfing at the Maiden Shade.  Then we went out on the boat in the afternoon and Lanie went alone on the tube for the first time. She did great.  We played cards with a crazy neighbor and borrowed his paddleboard Saturday night for a bit.  We played games in the cabin and then went home Sunday morning.  Ellie was stuck to Carter like glue all weekend:)

Matthew and I visited Betsy and Jesse on a Saturday night.  We rode bikes for about 10 miles and stopped at a few bars along the route.  It's always fun to catch up and see these great people:)

It's weird, but I think it's cute how he follows me into the bathroom and waits for me to finish my shower:)

Beth and Caleb Christiansen, Mike and Jessica Entner and us camped at Spring Lake this month.  Sorems, and Lynchs came out Saturday night to visit.  We played disc golf, got out on the paddleboat, played at the beach and went rollerskating Saturday night.  Always a great place to camp!

Lanie's Girl Scout troup spent the money they'd been saving for years on a trip to Arkansas.  Taylyn, Jenny, Lanie and I stayed in a cabin right outside Eureka Springs.  We went ziplining, on a lunch train ride, toured a cave, walked downtown, tried lots of places to eat and relaxed playing games at the cabin at night.  It was such a nice trip with such great people.

 

June 2022 Happenings

Campground: Eugene T. Mahoney State Park, Little Creek Campground

Destination: Ashland, Nebraska

Dates: Friday, June 17 - Monday, June 20

Weather:  very hot all 4 days, breezy on Sunday

Attractions:  waterpark, disc golf, Go Ape Tree Tops Course (Carter and I love it!), bags, hike at Platte River State Park

Traveling Companions: Olsons, Kooistras, Sorems, Captain

A Memory:  When we got there Friday afternoon we couldn't get the panel that tells us how much water etc. to light up, then we realized our fridge wouldn't turn on either. Thank goodness the air conditioning worked and electric plug ins.  We tried everything we could, including calling Harrison RV and having the technician walk us through trying different things but nothing worked.  We decided to stay for the weekend and just make the best of it.  We dropped off the camper on the way back home and within 2 hours they had it fixed.  A loose wire was rubbing on the frame of the camper the whole way there and eventually broke.

It's really happening!  Carter had Iowa State University Orientation on Thursday and Friday in June.  He got to visit lots of places on campus including Parks Library, Ivy Business College, the Union and a dorm room.  He's a little nervous about how small it is, but was happy when we learned we could take the loft bed down a couple notches.  We got to hear all about the business college and some classes.  On Friday he got to register for classes with his advisor.  Now he's working hard to make sure he can pay for the first semester.

 After 3 years, we finally got to go to The End of the Earth tour concert with Toad the Wet Sprocket, Gin Blossoms and Barenaked Ladies.  They did not disappoint.  We even felt comfortable going down to the standing area near the stage:). 

May 2022 Happenings

 

May was a big month for the Hamilton family as we prepared and then experienced Carter's highschool graduation.  We are all SO proud of him and are also excited for the next adventure in his life, Iowa State University.  The graduation party went smoothly because of help from friends and family.  We were all so thankful for so many people in our lives to be able to stop by and congratulate him.  

Carter was able to experience adaptive PE, Music and Art with Lanie the last semester, although they couldn't be partners.  We are so happy that they both could have this experience.  Carter really took on a mentor role for other siblings of kids with disabilities and Lanie of course loved seeing her brother in class everyday.  Heidi sent me these 2 class pictures on flying a kite day.

We had brunch at our house for Mother's Day.  Not many could make it because of jobs but we still got to celebrate.  I got Mom a flower pot with the grandkids names and birthday month flower on it.  Matthew got me a bocci ball kit and the jewelry box that I wanted.

April 2022 Happenings

It was a wonderful night celebrating Speech and Drama seasons.  

Prom 2022.  Carter was determined to not wear a tux.  He said he had a good time at the dance and after prom.  We were so glad he went.

Lanie had a great first experience with Special Olympics.  She had been to swimming practice at Beyer Hall for about a month.  We weren't really sure what she'd swim but it all worked out.  The people were SO nice and the others on her team got her where she needed to be at the right time.  She was so happy to share her gold medals at school the next week.

Maybe when you have to put up a table as a wind block for the grill flame, it isn't a good time to go camping?  We ventured out on a very rainy, cold, and windy weekend for our first trip of the season to Hickory Grove with Sorems and Beastons.  We didn't go out until Saturday morning cause of the rain and then really never left the camper after we were all set up.  Positive note - we got to be together and I finished a whole book.

Love how we get together every April to celebrate birthdays.  Mostly it's just about being together:). It was my first time at Corn Bread in Ames then we headed down the street to Torent brewery, Sweet Carolines, and Whiskey River.

Live Music!  Our first concert since Covid started, Lawrence at Wooley's with Lynchs and Mindy.  They were SO good!

We celebrated Easter at our house this year.  Uncle Rick and Aunt Laurie brought their granddaughters Erica and Kayley.  It was Matthew and my first time hosting.  Matthew did a great job with the ham and turkey.  We were missing a lot of family but we know everyone is busy working and doing the best they can.  After the kids warmed up we had a great time playing games.  We played Peep Ping Pong, Connect the Easter Eggs, Easter Egg Memory, and Who can hold the most eggs.

I am so thankful for these pictures from Lanie's para.  I think Lanie was helping prepare for testing week snacks.

Since I had all the games prepared, we thought we'd play with Lynch's the next day:)

 My baby girl is 16, how can that be?!  We had supper with grandma and sang happy birthday to her on Sunday and then on her birthday we went out to eat at Hickory Park with Lynch's and got ice cream sundaes.  Lanie picked out a telescope from Target for her birthday.

Lanie's 16th year Bio:

Height - 5' 2"
Weight -  140 pounds
Favorite Sport - football
Shoe size - 5/6
Favorite Free time - sing and dance 
Favorite book - books about science
Favorite TV show - Grey's Anatomy
Favorite movie - Best Time Ever
Favorite food - oven fried fish and roasted potatoes 
Favorite subject - science, reading
Favorite song/ singer - I'm Coming Home, Skylar Gray 
When I grow up I want to be - singer